Adhd – What to do and what to avoid

Quick guide for teachers

SECONDARY SCHOOL

In the style of a Teacher Training notebook, this is a quick guide for lower secondary school teachers who have pupils with ADHD, which can help them learn more about the disorder and apply simple but effective strategies to deal with it and manage it in the best possible way.

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BOOK STRUCTURE AND CONTENTS

ADHD – What to do and what to avoid contains “ready to use” focused instructions to successfully deal with 15 problem behaviours that school-aged pupils (11-14 years old) typically have.

The book is divided into 15 chapters, grouped into 3 macro-sections: Inattention, Hyperactivity, and Impulsivity.

Inattention

He/she is easily distracted
He/she does not complete tasks
He/she avoids activities that require cognitive effort
He/she forgets school materials at home
He/she does not pay attention during lessons

Hyperactivity

He/she frequently leaves the desk for any possible excuse
He/she keeps asking to leave the classroom
He/she talks excessively with classmates
He/she fiddles constantly
He/she prefers physical activities to quiet ones

Impulsivity

He/she has difficulty taking turns in conversation
He/she does not foresee the consequences of their actions
He/she struggles to avoid dangerous situations
He/she has difficulty managing emotions
He/she finds it hard to organise their activities

What to do and what to avoid

The reason for each behaviour is initially explained in a few brief sentences (Why does he/she do this?), followed by simple and clear indications for the teacher on the attitudes to be adopted and avoided (What to do, What NOT to do). A discussion on the topic follows (What to keep in mind) and tools and strategies are provided in How to intervene about some crucial educational and didactic aspects. A final Don’t forget That… paragraph is devoted to important and focused suggestions for the teacher to keep in mind.

At the beginning of each chapter, an illustration introduces the analysed behaviour.

Explanations of the problem behaviour being considered: Why does he/she do this?
Brief and simple indications that can be useful to the teacher as a reference point for quickly deciding What to do and reflect on What to avoid.

A more in-depth description of the specific problem behaviourbeing worked on: Analysis of the problem behaviour.
The tools and educational strategies to create the intervention: How to intervene.

Each chapter closes with reflections to deepen understanding and enrich the teacher’s “briefcase of educational tools”.

Leaf through the worksheets in the Appendix, which have been translated into English to facilitate your evaluation:

THE AUTHORS

Anna Maria Re, Psychologist, Associate Professor of Developmental and Educational Psychology at the Department of Psychology, University of Turin. She has been working for years on ADHD and Specific Learning Disabilities, both in clinical and research settings. She provides clinical services at LUDIS, formerly a spin-off of the University of Turin.

Renzo Sacchetto, a technology teacher at lower secondary school, specialised in ADHD through the university master’s programme at the University of Padua, “Teaching and Psychopedagogy for Students with ADHD.”

Discover all the volumes of the series
What to do and what to avoid

ADHD: what to do and what to avoid Secondary school

Adhd – What to do and what to avoid